Patrick Mahomes is athletic, agile — and ambidextrous, apparently.
Thanks in part to a nifty left-handed throw as he was about to get sacked by Von Miller at midfield on the game-winning drive, the right-handed Mahomes rallied the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs past the Denver Broncos 27-23 on Monday night.
By overcoming a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit, the Chiefs (4-0) took a two-game lead over the Broncos (2-2), their AFC West rivals whom they’ve now beaten six straight times.
The only other remaining unbeaten team is the Los Angeles Rams.
Down 23-13, Mahomes directed a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ate up more than six minutes and culminated with a 2-yard TD toss to tight end Travis Kelce.
After a three-and-out by Denver, Mahomes added a 60-yard touchdown drive, handing off to Kareem Hunt for the 4-yard score with 1:39 remaining.
On that last drive, Mahomes was getting dragged down by Miller on third-and-5 at midfield when he shifted the ball to his left hand and threw it to Tyreek Hill a yard past the first-down marker at the Broncos 49.
“He’s actually more athletic than people” realize, Denver linebacker Brandon Marshall said. “People talk about his arm, but he can move out of the pocket and make the necessary throws.”
Even with his left hand.
“I didn’t know he threw it with his left hand,” marveled Miller. “He’s a great quarterback.”
“Patrick worked real hard on that left-handed throw,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid quipped. “Some amazing plays there. We’ve seen it in practice but not under those conditions.”
Mahomes proved slippery all night.
“We played well and we got to him but he would scramble out to his right as he likes to do,” Marshall said. “It’s almost like we’d have him in our fingertips and he’d scramble away and throw for a first down.
“The kid can play. He’s going to be really good. He’s really good right now, but we should have won the game.”
It was the first time since 2004 that the Broncos blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead at home.
